Table Of ContentDEVELOPING LITERACY IN PRESCHOOL
TOOLS FOR TEACHING LITERACY
Donna Ogle and Camille Blachowicz, SeriesEditors
This highly practical series includes two kinds of books: (1) grade-specific
titles for first-time teachers or those teaching a particular grade for the first time;
(2) books on key literacy topics that cut across all grades, such as integrating
literacy with technology and science, teaching literacy through the arts,
and fluency. Written by outstanding educators who know what works based on
extensive classroom experience, each research-based volume features hands-on
activities, reproducibles, and best practices for promoting student achievement.
These books are suitable as texts for undergraduate- or graduate-level courses;
preservice teachers will find them informative and accessible.
TEACHING LITERACY IN SIXTH GRADE
Karen Wood and Maryann Mraz
TEACHING LITERACY IN KINDERGARTEN
Lea M. McGee and Lesley Mandel Morrow
INTEGRATING INSTRUCTION: LITERACY AND SCIENCE
Judy McKee and Donna Ogle
TEACHING LITERACY IN SECOND GRADE
Jeanne R. Paratore and Rachel L. McCormack
TEACHING LITERACY IN FIRST GRADE
Diane Lapp, James Flood, Kelly Moore, and Maria Nichols
PARTNERING FOR FLUENCY
Mary Kay Moskal and Camille Blachowicz
TEACHING LITERACY THROUGH THE ARTS
Nan L. McDonald and Douglas Fisher
TEACHING LITERACY IN FIFTH GRADE
Susan I. McMahon and Jacqueline Wells
TEACHING LITERACY IN THIRD GRADE
Janice F. Almasi, Keli Garas-York, and Leigh-Ann Hildreth
INTEGRATING LITERACY AND TECHNOLOGY: EFFECTIVE PRACTICE
FOR GRADES K–6
Susan Watts Taffe and Carolyn B. Gwinn
DEVELOPING LITERACY IN PRESCHOOL
Lesley Mandel Morrow
DEVELOPING
LITERACY
in Preschool
Lesley Mandel Morrow
Series Editors’ Note by Donna Ogle and Camille Blachowicz
THE GUILFORD PRESS
New York London
© 2007 The Guilford Press
A Division of Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
www.guilford.com
All rights reserved
Except as indicated, no part of this book may be reproduced, translated,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise,
without written permission from the Publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Last digit is print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
LIMITED PHOTOCOPY LICENSE
These materials are intended for use only by qualified professionals.
The Publisher grants to individual purchasers of this book nonassignable
permission to reproduce all materials for which photocopying permission
is specifically granted in a footnote. This license is limited to you, the
individual purchaser, for use with your own clients or students. It does not
extend to additional professionals in your institution, school district, or
other setting, nor does purchase by an institution constitute a site license.
This license does not grant the right to reproduce these materials for
resale, redistribution, or any other purposes (including but not limited to
books, pamphlets, articles, video- or audiotapes, and handouts or slides for
lectures or workshops). Permission to reproduce these materials for these
and any other purposes must be obtained in writing from the Permissions
Department of Guilford Publications.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Morrow, Lesley Mandel.
Developing literacy in preschool / by Lesley Mandel Morrow.
p. cm. — (Tools for teaching literacy)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59385-462-1 (pbk.: alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-59385-462-5 (pbk.: alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59385-463-8 (hardcover: alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-59385-463-3 (hardcover: alk. paper)
1. Language arts (Preschool) 2. Children—Language. I. Title.
LB1140.5.L3M64 2007
372.6—dc22
2007006564
I dedicate this book to my daughter and son-in-law,
Stephanie and Doug Bushell,
and their preschool children, James Ethan and Natalie Kate,
my grandson and granddaughter. James was 2 to 4 years of age
while I was writing this book, and Natalie, birth to 2.
They added a special dimension to my writing
because I could live their literacy development as I wrote.
As you will notice, many of the photos in the book are of James
and Natalie because I had wonderful access to them
and because I adore them.
I could not have written this book without their help.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LesleyMandelMorrow,PhD,isProfessorofLiteracyatRutgersUniversity’sGrad-
uate School of Education, where she is Chair of the Department of Learning and
Teaching.Shebeganhercareerasaclassroomteacher,becameareadingspecialist,
andreceivedherPhDfromFordhamUniversity.Shehasdoneextensiveresearchin
the areas of early literacy development and the organization and management of
language arts programs, which involves working with children and families from
diverse backgrounds. Dr. Morrow has authored or edited more than 250 publica-
tionsthatincludejournalarticles,bookchapters,monographs,andtextbooks.She
received the Excellence in Research, Teaching, and Service Awards from Rutgers
University, the International Reading Association’s Outstanding Teacher Educator
of Reading Award, and Fordham University’s Alumni Award for Outstanding
Achievement. In addition, Dr. Morrow has received numerous grants for research
fromthefederalgovernmentandhasservedasaprincipalresearchinvestigatorfor
the Center for English Language Arts, the National Reading Research Center, the
Center for Early Reading Achievement, and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Lab. She
wasanelectedmemberoftheBoardofDirectorsoftheInternationalReadingAsso-
ciation,anorganizationof90,000educatorsin100countries,andservedasPresi-
dentoftheorganizationfrom2003to2004.Dr.MorrowwaselectedtotheReading
Hall of Fame in 2006.
vi
SERIES EDITORS’ NOTE
As teacher educators and staff developers, we have become aware of the
needforaseriesofbooksforthoughtfulpractitionerswhowantapracti-
cal,research-basedintroductiontoteachingliteracyatspecificgradelev-
els. Preservice and beginning teachers want to know how to be as effec-
tive as possible; they also know there are great differences in what students need
acrossgradelevels.Wehavemetteacherafterteacherwho,whenstartingtoteach
or moving to a new grade, asked for a guide targeted at their specific grade level.
Until now we have not had a resource to share with them.
Wealsocollaboratewithstaffdevelopersandstudygroupdirectorswhowant
effectiveinservicematerialsthattheycanusewithteachersatmanydifferentlevels
yetthatstillprovidespecificinsightsforindividualgradelevels.ThustheToolsfor
Teaching Literacy series was created.
Thisseriesisdistinguishedbytwoinnovativecharacteristicsdesignedtomake
itusefultoindividualteachers,staffdevelopers,andstudygroupsalike.EachTools
for Teaching Literacy volume:
(cid:1)
Is written by outstanding educators who are noted for their knowledge of
research, theory, and best practices; who spend time in real classrooms
workingwithteachers;andwhoareexperiencedstaffdeveloperswhowork
alongside teachers applying these insights in classrooms. We think the
series authors are unparalleled in these qualifications.
(cid:1)
Is organized according to a structure shared by all the grade-level books,
which include chapters on:
(cid:2)
the nature of the learner at the particular grade level
(cid:2)
appropriate goals for literacy
vii
viii Series Editors’ Note
(cid:2)
setting up the physical environment for literacy
(cid:2)
getting to know students with appropriate assessments and planning
for differentiation
(cid:2)
a week in the grade-level classroom—what this looks like in practice
with important instructional strategies and routines
(cid:2)
resources for learning
With this common organization across the grade-level books, a staff developer
can use several different volumes in the series for teacher study groups, new
teacher seminars, and other induction activities, choosing particular discussion
and learning topics, such as classroom organization, that cross grade-level con-
cerns.Teacherscanalsoeasilyaccessinformationontopicsofmostimportanceto
them and make comparisons across the grade levels.
In this volume, Lesley Mandel Morrow writes from her experience as a pre-
school teacher, a reading specialist, a college professor and researcher, and a
mother who is now a grandmother. While the book emphasizes high expectations
for children and teachers, it is sensitive to the need to be age appropriate when
buildingthefoundationsofliteracy.Sheremindsusthat“preschoolersarepassion-
ate about learning,” and we need to capitalize on this passion by immersing them
inliteracy.Weknowyouwillbeexcitedbythisvolume,whichisnotonlyresearch
based but also chock full of teacher-friendly, classroom-tested, accessible, doable
ideas to give our youngest students the start they need.
DONNA OGLE
CAMILLE BLACHOWICZ
PREFACE
A great deal has changed concerning literacy development in preschool
overthepastfewyears.Asaresultofcurrentresearch,wehavecometo
realizenotonlythatpreschoolerscanlearnalotaboutliteracybutalso
that they can be taught about it in an appropriate manner. This book
deals with methods of teaching literacy to preschoolers from 2 to 5 years old. The
book is meant to be a friendly professional development volume with theory,
research,policy,andpracticeincluded.Thepracticeemphasizedincludesstrategies
for intentional teaching of skills in a way that is appropriate for preschoolers.
Chapter1visitsaliteracy-richpreschoolclassroom.Thedesignofthephysical
environment, a schedule for the daily routine, and a description of the activities
throughoutthedayareprovidedtogiveatotallookatwhatcanbedonetodevelop
literacy in preschool.
Chapter 2 takes a look at the history, theory, research, and policy that have
influenced preschool programs from the 1800s to the present. We learn that prac-
tices from the past, such as play, spontaneous learning, exploration, and experi-
mentation,arestillvaluabletodaybutthatthesystematicteachingofliteracyskills
in the areas of emergent reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing is
equally important.
Chapter 3 helps to create an organizational framework for this literacy-rich
preschool and addresses design factors of the physical environment of the class-
roomthatspecificallyaffectliteracydevelopment,suchasthecreationofaliteracy
centerwithbooks,manipulativematerialsforretellingstories,andtechnologythat
motivates early literacy. Parent involvement is another important element in orga-
nizing the literacy program.
Chapter 4 discusses organization and management for literacy instruction in
preschool. It emphasizes the importance of a curriculum based on themes in pro-
ix
